# Bluefors

Canonical page: https://technooptimist.io/companies/bluefors
Bluefors builds the dilution refrigerators that cool superconducting and spin-qubit chips to about 10 millikelvin. The Helsinki company also owns cryocooler maker Cryomech and says it has delivered more than 1,800 systems.

## In brief

- Interlune's CEO says a majority of the quantum industry relies on Bluefors fridges; over 1,800 systems delivered.
- KIDE (1,000+ qubits) went to IBM and Japan's AIST; a modular platform for far larger machines ships late 2026.
- Signed to buy up to 10,000 litres a year of lunar helium-3 from Interlune for 2028–2037.

## Facts

- Founded: 2008
- Headquarters: FI
- Status: private
- Staff: ~700
- Website: https://bluefors.com
- Frontiers: [Quantum](https://technooptimist.io/quantum.md) (Fridges, control & fabs)

## Programs

- [KIDE cryogenic platform](https://technooptimist.io/quantum/kide.md) (Quantum): Deploy; next: First multi-module delivery (Q4 2026). Installed at IBM and AIST; a modular successor for much larger machines is due to ship late 2026.

## Technical approach

- **Dilution cooling: Two kinds of helium, mixed**: Helium-3 dissolving into helium-4 absorbs heat. Pumped round a closed loop, this holds a qubit chip at about 10 millikelvin for as long as needed.
- **Pulse tubes: Precooling without liquid helium**: Electric pulse-tube cryocoolers, made by its Cryomech unit, cool everything to a few kelvin first, so no liquid-helium refills are needed.
- **Modular scale-out: Add modules, not bigger cans**: The Modular Cryogenic Platform lets an operator start with one module and add more, moving wiring and chips independently of the cooling.

## Open problems

- **Helium-3 supply** (open): Every dilution fridge needs helium-3, which is scarce on Earth. Bluefors has signed for lunar helium-3 from Interlune, due from 2028 at the earliest.
- **Heat from wiring** (active research): Each control line leaks heat into the coldest stage, which has microwatts of cooling (KIDE: over 90 µW at 20 mK), capping qubits per fridge.

## Latest updates

- **3 Mar 2026**: Bluefors unveils a modular cryogenic platform aimed at quantum computers with hundreds of thousands of qubits. Bluefors announced a Modular Cryogenic Platform, a cooling system that quantum computer makers and supercomputing centres can grow module by module instead of buying one ever-larger fridge. ([our story](https://technooptimist.io/stories/bluefors-unveils-a-modular-cryogenic-platform-aimed-at-quantum-427b7076.md) · [original source](https://news.cision.com/bluefors-oy/r/bluefors--breakthrough-modular-cryogenic-platform-takes-quantum-computing-to-hundreds-of-thousands-o,c4315940))
- **16 Sep 2025**: Bluefors agrees to buy up to 10,000 litres a year of lunar helium-3 from Interlune for 2028–2037. Bluefors signed to buy up to 10,000 litres of helium-3 a year from Interlune, a Seattle company planning to harvest the isotope from lunar soil, with deliveries from 2028 to 2037. ([our story](https://technooptimist.io/stories/bluefors-agrees-to-buy-up-to-10-000-litres-a-year-of-lunar-helium-3-0516909a.md) · [original source](https://bluefors.com/news/bluefors-to-source-helium-3-from-the-moon-with-interlune-to-power-next-phase-of-quantum-industry-growth/))
- **21 May 2025**: Bluefors installs 18 cryogenic systems, including a KIDE platform, at Japan's AIST G-QuAT quantum centre. Bluefors delivered and installed 18 fully wired cryogenic systems at AIST's new G-QuAT centre in Tsukuba, Japan, which opened on 18 May 2025. ([our story](https://technooptimist.io/stories/bluefors-installs-18-cryogenic-systems-including-a-kide-platform-at-f09471c8.md) · [original source](https://news.cision.com/bluefors-oy/r/bluefors-delivers-18-state-of-the-art-quantum-cooling-systems-to-power-aist-s-g-quat-center,c4153236))
- **13 May 2025**: Former Universal Robots CEO Kim Povlsen named Bluefors chief executive. Bluefors named Kim Povlsen, president and CEO of robot-arm maker Universal Robots, as its chief executive from no later than 1 October 2025. ([our story](https://technooptimist.io/stories/former-universal-robots-ceo-kim-povlsen-named-bluefors-chief-executive-3e32b893.md) · [original source](https://news.cision.com/bluefors-oy/r/bluefors-welcomes-kim-povlsen-as-new-chief-executive-officer,c4149334))

## Partners, customers and investors

- IBM (customer): Bought the first KIDE cryogenic platform.
- AIST (G-QuAT) (customer): Japan's national lab took 18 Bluefors systems, including a KIDE, for its quantum-AI centre in Tsukuba (2025).
- Interlune (supplier): Up to 10,000 litres a year of lunar helium-3, for delivery 2028–2037.
- Alice & Bob (customer): Supplies the cryogenics for Alice & Bob's $50 million quantum lab in Paris, alongside Quantum Machines.
- Delft Circuits (partner): Joint work on scalable cryogenic wiring (quantum I/O), announced September 2025.
- Qblox (partner): Collaboration combining Bluefors cryostats with Qblox control electronics (March 2025).

## People

- Kim Povlsen, Chief Executive Officer
- Rob Blaauwgeers, Co-founder

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